Alex Pereira Signs 8-Fight UFC Extension for Heavyweight Shift

Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, has signed an eight-fight contract extension with the promotion, securing his future as he transitions to the heavyweight division. The 38-year-old Brazilian, known as Poatan, expressed satisfaction with the deal during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, stating it allows him flexibility to pursue heavyweight opportunities. His next bout is set for June 14, 2026, at the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House grounds, where he will challenge Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.

Pereira vacated his light heavyweight belt to make the move up, citing his body's readiness after competing successfully at 185 and 205 pounds. Weighing around 245 pounds currently, he dismissed concerns about his size, saying, "I feel like I hit like a heavyweight." The fighter indicated the extension, which he described as better than he had imagined, will likely be his final contract in combat sports. He credited UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard and executives Hunter Campbell and Dana White for accommodating his request to compete at heavyweight, noting, "I just expressed that I wanted to do a heavyweight fight, and...